QUINCY RESIDENTS UNITE AGAINST AMENDMENT TO REVOKE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE RIGHTS
 
Message to Quincy Legislators: It’s Time to Move On

QUINCY – Over 330 Quincy residents – including many local business and civic leaders as well as elected officials – have taken a public stand in favor of marriage equality and signed a statement against a proposed constitutional amendment to revoke civil marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in Massachusetts. The statement, which urges Quincy-area legislators to do the right thing by rejecting the proposed constitutional amendment, will run with a list of signers in a full-page ad in the Patriot Ledger on Saturday. 

The diverse group, which includes State Treasurer Timothy Cahill, Mayor William Phelan, local business leader Phyllis Godwin, Reverend Sheldon Bennett of the UU Church of the Presidents in Quincy, and Quincy City Council President Doug Gutro, is comprised of Quincy residents from all walks of life: business, law, education, non-profits and civic associations, religion, military, government, and medicine. A complete list of signatories is attached. 

The effort was organized by Quincy for Marriage Equality, an association of people who live, work, volunteer and worship in the city of Quincy and are dedicated to protecting marriage equality for same-sex couples. 

“We formed Quincy for Marriage Equality and began this project because we felt it was important that our community – and, importantly, our elected officials – know that people all across Quincy, from all walks of life, support equality,” said Quincy for Marriage Equality co-founder Jerry Ringuette. 

“The amendment is discriminatory, divisive and undemocratic,” said co-founder Michele Frost. “The legislature should move on and focus its energy on issues that help people like creating jobs and improving schools.” 

Erin Nickerson, Squantum resident and co-signer, added, “Equality for all is not something that should be put to a vote!” 

Quincy for Marriage Equality is one of many local groups on the South Shore organizing over equal marriage rights. Last Saturday, Weymouth for Equality held a rally at the Weymouth Town Hall with over 75 area activists, including Mayor David Madden. Weymouth for Equality has also coordinated a signing statement effort, with over 100 Weymouth residents taking a public stand for equality. A third group, Hanover Neighbors for Equality, held a vigil Thursday night. 

The Statement of Support signed by the 330+ Quincy residents reads: 

“The Massachusetts Constitution, the nation’s first and oldest, has stood as a beacon for fair and equal treatment under the law for every citizen. We oppose efforts to write inequity and discrimination into the Constitution. 

Local and national opponents of equal marriage rights in Massachusetts are just one step away from putting a discriminatory anti-marriage Constitutional amendment on the November 2008 ballot. A vote to put these rights on the ballot is a vote to discriminate against same-sex couples. 

We urge all Quincy’s legislators to protect our Constitution and the people it represents by rejecting the proposed constitutional amendment. There are more pressing issues facing our community. They should focus on strengthening the economy, improving our schools and protecting our neighborhoods.

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Quincy for Marriage Equality is an association of people who live, work, volunteer and worship in the city of Quincy and are dedicated to protecting marriage equality for same-sex couples